Uncoupling mechanism for railway cars



Feb. 22, 1927.

, w. c. ROCKENSTiRE UNCOUPLING MECHANISM FOR RAILWAY CARS Filed March28, 1925 INVENTOR 7 m 61 m ATTO NEY the maximum rise of the lifterPatented Feb. 22, i927.

Uhll'iED rates are WALTER C. RGGKENSTIR-E, OF WATERVLIET, NEW YORK.

UNCOUPLING MECHANISM FOR RAILVJAY CARS.

Application filed March 28, 1925.

Fig. 1 is a plan of a car coupler attached to the end sill of a railwayvehicle to which my invention has been applied; 2 is a front elevationthereof; and Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the coupler, with theuncoupling mechanism partly in section.

My invention relates to uncoupling mechanism for car couplers, andprovides a mechanism which applies a proper leverage to the coupler locklift and thereby beneficially effects the operation of the coupler insuch manner that it will ensure uncoupling of the coupler or throwingthe knuckle into full open position ready for coupling. My inventionalso provides adequate protection for the uncoupling mechanism from theweather, and by reason of the improvement in the operation of thecoupler safer work conditions for operatives. My invention alsocomprises various features which I shall hereinafter describe and claim.

Referring to the drawings, the coupler 2, which may be of any welldrnowntype, such as the A. R. A. standard D-coupler, is secured to the railwayvehicle 3 in the usual manner. Projecting upwardly from the top of thecoupler 2 is the top lock lift 4: (shown in full lines in knuckle-thrownposition and in dotted lines in locked position) by which the well knowninternal mechanism of the coupler is operated. Pivoted' at each end ofthe end sill 5 of the car is a lever 6 which has a hand hold 7 at itsupper end and a foot pedal 8 at its lower end. Opposite ends of a steelcable or wire rope 9v are attached to the levers 6 near their upperends. Intermediate its ends the cable 9 is contained in a tube 10 whichextends across the end sill 5; The tube 10 has a i -shaped centralportion l0 connecting, with a forwardly and upwardly extending portion10 in the vertical middle plane of the vehicle, which carries a loop 9of the cable 9, which at its center is passed through the eye i of thelifter 4. Suilicient slack is provided so that the lifter 4 may beraised from either side without disturbing the lever 6 at the oppositeside of the'vehicle. v

The lifter 4 and the stop hole of the coupler throughwhich it operatesare protected by a hood 11 mounted onthe coupler head of sufficientheight to afford clearance for 4-. At its upper end the hood is narrowedinto a sleeve 11 which enters the downwardly curved end 10 of the tubeand forms a ball Serial Ho. 18,980.

joint 12 therewith to permit the coupler to move longitudinally orlaterally without restraint from the uncoupling mechanism. The centralV-shaped portion 1O? and the curved forwardly extending portion 10 ofthe tube 10 act as sheaves for the cable and minimize friction so thatthe leverage applied at either lever 6 is sufiicient to raise the lifterl readily. The tubes 10 may be attached by any suitable means to the endsill as by brackets or electric welding if the end sill is made ofmetal.

The hood 11 is supported from the ball joint 12 and as it is notattached to the con pler head, but merely rests upon it, it permits thecoupler to move laterally and longitudinally without disturbance to it."Stops 6 and 6 are provided to limit the travel of the lever 6. i

My improved uncoupling mechanism may be operated by either hand or footfrom positions on the cars not possible with other clevices. Because ofthe flexibility of the operating connection and of the increasedleverage employed. it is very much less apt to become inoperable thanexisting mechanisms, which frequently fail to open the knuckles fullyand thus require them to be opened by hand. Hence, it is obvious thatthe use of my improved mechanism results in increased safety to theoperatives.

The terms and expressions which I have employed are used as terms ofdescription and not of limitation, and ,l' have no intention, in the useof such terms and expressions, of excluding any mechanical equivalentsof the features shown and described, or portions thereof, but recognizedthat various structural modifications are possible within the scope ofthe invention claimed.

hat I claim is:

1. In uncoupling mechanism for car couplers, the combination of a carcoupler; a lifter for the coupler operating parts; a.

railway vehicle; an operating lever mounted on the vehicle; a flexibleconnect-ion between operating lever and lifter; and a conduit attachedto the end of the vehicle within which the flexible connection operates,said conduit comprising means for guiding and protecting saidconnection.

2. in uncoupling mechanism for car couplers, the combination of a carcoupler; a litter 'forrthe coupler operating parts; a railway vehicle;an operating lever mounted on the vehicle a conduit extending from theoperating lever to the litter; and a flexible member operating in theconduit and connecting the lifter and the operating lever, said conduitforming a guiding and proteeting means for the flexible member.

3. In uncoupling mechanism for car couplers, the combination of a carcoupler; a lifter for the coupler operating parts; a railway vehicle;operating levers mounted on either side of the end of such vehicle; aconduit extending across the front oi. the vehicle and having a forwardprojection to the lifter, said conduit forming a guiding and protectingchannel for a connection between such levers, said connection having abearing intermediate its ends upon the lifter so disposed that uponactuation of either lever the said connection will lift the lifter andthereby operate the coupler.

4. In uncoupling mechanism for car couplers, the combination of a carcoupler; a litter for the coupler operating parts having an eye in itsupper end; a railway vehicle; operating, levers mounted on either sideof the vehicle; a flexible connection between the levers looped throughthe eye of the lifter so disposed that upon actuation of either leverthe connection will lift the litter and thereby operate the coupler, anda conduit extending across the trout of the vehicl: and having a for ardn'ojeclion over the coupler, said conduit ilorining, a guiding andprotecting means for the said connection.

5. In IlllUOllPllllQ incchai'iisni for car coui'ilors the combination ofa car coupler; a railway vehicle; coilpler actuating mechanism supportedon the vehicle and connected to a movable part of said car coupler; andprotecting and guiding; means for said actuating mechanisnn part of"said protecting and guiding means being supported on the couple" andpart on the vehicle.

6. In uncoupling mechanism for car couplers, the combination of a carcoupler; a railway vehicle; coupler actuating mechanism supported on thevehicle and connected to a movable part of said car coupler; protectingand guiding means for said actuating mechanism, part of said protectingand guiding n'ieans being supported on the coupler and part on thevehicle; and a flexible connection between such parts.

\VALTER C. ROCKENSTIRE.

